WO1995015479B1 - Vehicle alignment system - Google Patents
Vehicle alignment systemInfo
- Publication number
- WO1995015479B1 WO1995015479B1 PCT/US1994/012824 US9412824W WO9515479B1 WO 1995015479 B1 WO1995015479 B1 WO 1995015479B1 US 9412824 W US9412824 W US 9412824W WO 9515479 B1 WO9515479 B1 WO 9515479B1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- vehicle
- pair
- sensors
- distance
- images
- Prior art date
Links
- 230000000875 corresponding Effects 0.000 claims abstract 3
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 claims 6
- 210000003371 Toes Anatomy 0.000 claims 4
- 230000001419 dependent Effects 0.000 claims 1
- 238000005259 measurement Methods 0.000 abstract 2
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 abstract 2
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 abstract 1
Abstract
An improved vehicle alignment system (1) includes automatic angle and distance range calibration whereby various vehicle distances such as track width and wheelbase may be measured electro-optically during the alignment process. The system also includes an improved process which results in shorter measurement cycles for the sensors by utilizing an electronic shutter control. The sensors (19, 21 and 23) work in pairs, and a novel synchronization scheme is used to ensure that the emitters (25) of one sensor (19) are not radiating at the same time the emitters (25) of the other sensor (21) of that pair are radiating and to determine which emitter (25) of the pair corresponding to a sensor (19) is radiating. Reflections of the emitters (25) from nearby surfaces are discriminated from direct transmissions so that the angle of incidence is accurately determined. Moreover, determination of the angle of incidence is simplified by use of a lens (95) whose image position varies in a specific manner as the imaged object moves radially away from the axis of the lens (95). The present system is particularly suited for measuring difficult alignment measurements such as toe-out on turns electro-optically with a minimal number of sensors (19, 21, 23).
Claims
AMENDED CLAIMS
[received by the International Bureau on 12 June 1995 (12.06.95); original claims 5 and 6 amended; remaining claims unchanged (2 pages)]
with respect to another wheel of the vehicle and the distance measured corresponds to track width.
4. A vehicle wheel aligner comprising: a radiation source adapted to be removably mounted to a first wheel of a vehicle; an image detector adapted to be removably mounted to a second wheel of a vehicle, said image detector having a plurality of pixels for receiving radiation from the radiation source and generating a pixel-by-pixel representation of the image falling on the detector; a mask including an aperture disposed adjacent the image detector for defining an image of the radiation source on the image detector; a lens disposed between the aperture and the image detector, the lens having a focal length and ray turning angle which is dependent on the position and angle of the incident radiation on the lens surface, said lens in combination with said aperture performing an inverse tangent function on the incident radiation; a controller operatively connected to the image detector for determining angles of incidence of radiation from the radiation source from the pixel-by- pixel representation of the image falling on the detector and determining vehicle alignment information therefrom.
5. A method of electronically determining distance in connection with the servicing of a vehicle comprising: removably mounting a sensor to a front wheel of a vehicle; removably mounting a pair of radiation sources to a rear wheel of the vehicle; projecting a pair of images from the pair of radiation sources upon an image detector associated with said sensor, said images being separated such that the separation is a function of the distance between the pair of sensors; and electronically determining the separation of the images and calculating therefrom the distance between said image detector and the pair of radiation
sources and electronically determining the toe of said front wheel of a vehicle from the representation of the images falling on the image detector at a first steered angle of said front wheel.
6. The method as set forth in claim 5 further including the steps of storing the toe and distance information corresponding to said first steered angle, moving said front wheel to a second steered angle, acquiring toe and distance information corresponding to the second steered angle, and determining the change in the steered angle from the toe and distance information at both steered angles. 7. A method of electronically determining distance between a pair of sensors mounted in known relationships to a vehicle comprising: mounting a first sensor at a first position on one side of a vehicle; mounting a second sensor at a second position on the opposite side of the vehicle from the first sensor; projecting a pair of images upon an image detector associated with one of said sensors, said images being separated such that the separation is a function of the distance between the pair of sensors; and electronically determining the separation of the images and calculating therefrom said distance between said pair of sensors. 8. A method of electronically determining distance between a pair of sensors mounted in known relationships to a vehicle comprising: mounting a first sensor at a first position on a vehicle other than on a wheel of the vehicle; mounting a second sensor at a second position on the vehicle; projecting a pair of images upon an image detector associated with one of said sensors, said images being separated such that the separation is a function of the distance between the pair of sensors; and electronically determining the separation of the images and calculating therefrom said distance between said pair of sensors. 9. A method of correcting vehicle wheel alignment angles comprising:
Priority Applications (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
DE69433849T DE69433849T2 (en) | 1993-12-02 | 1994-12-01 | SYSTEM FOR ORIENTING A VEHICLE |
EP95905843A EP0731905B1 (en) | 1993-12-02 | 1994-12-01 | Vehicle alignment system |
AU14300/95A AU1430095A (en) | 1993-12-02 | 1994-12-01 | Vehicle alignment system |
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US08/162,452 | 1993-12-02 | ||
US08/162,452 US5488471A (en) | 1993-12-02 | 1993-12-02 | Sensors for vehicle alignment system and apparatus using same |
US08/339,461 | 1994-11-18 | ||
US08/339,461 US5519489A (en) | 1993-12-02 | 1994-11-18 | Vehicle alignment system |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO1995015479A1 WO1995015479A1 (en) | 1995-06-08 |
WO1995015479B1 true WO1995015479B1 (en) | 1995-07-06 |
Family
ID=26858777
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/US1994/012824 WO1995015479A1 (en) | 1993-12-02 | 1994-12-01 | Vehicle alignment system |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US5519489A (en) |
EP (1) | EP0731905B1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU1430095A (en) |
DE (1) | DE69433849T2 (en) |
WO (1) | WO1995015479A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (34)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR2737561B1 (en) * | 1995-08-02 | 1997-08-29 | Muller Bem | GEOMETRICAL MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL DEVICE FOR WHEEL VEHICLES |
JPH11325825A (en) * | 1998-05-13 | 1999-11-26 | Olympus Optical Co Ltd | Distance measuring equipment |
US6473978B1 (en) | 1998-06-16 | 2002-11-05 | Schenck Pegasus Corporation | Wheel alignment assembly and method |
US7065462B2 (en) * | 1998-07-24 | 2006-06-20 | Merilab, Inc. | Vehicle wheel alignment by rotating vision sensor |
US6151562A (en) * | 1998-07-24 | 2000-11-21 | Merrill; M. Stanley | Vehicle wheel alignment data by rotating vision sensor |
JP3197529B2 (en) * | 1999-02-10 | 2001-08-13 | 安全自動車株式会社 | Non-contact measurement method of wheel alignment characteristics and its measurement device |
DE19941638C1 (en) * | 1999-08-27 | 2000-12-14 | Zeiss Carl Jena Gmbh | Geodatic theodolite or tachometer has laser device used for determining height above ground of common intersection point of telescope optical axis, pivot axis and rotation axis |
US6498959B1 (en) * | 2000-01-19 | 2002-12-24 | Hunter Engineering Company | Apparatus and method for controlling a mechanism for positioning video cameras for use in measuring vehicle wheel alignment |
US7295297B2 (en) * | 2000-05-05 | 2007-11-13 | Hunter Engineering Company | Image sensing wheel alignment system |
JP4930742B2 (en) * | 2001-03-29 | 2012-05-16 | 株式会社トプコン | Position detection device |
ITMO20010084A1 (en) * | 2001-05-08 | 2002-11-08 | G S Srl Unipersonale | METHOD TO REALIZE THE READING OF INTERACTION FRACTIONS BETWEEN THE PHOTOSENSITIVE ELEMENTS OR CONTINUOUS PIXELS OF A LINEAR OPTICAL SENSOR |
ITMO20010093A1 (en) * | 2001-05-11 | 2002-11-11 | G S Srl Unipersonale | METHOD TO DISTINGUISH THE LIGHT SIGNAL USED IN A LINEAR OPTICAL SENSOR OF A GONIOMETER FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL NOISE |
US6600555B2 (en) | 2001-10-15 | 2003-07-29 | Hunter Engineering Company | Apparatus and method for target identification in a vehicle wheel alignment system |
US6634109B1 (en) | 2001-11-26 | 2003-10-21 | Snap-On Technologies, Inc. | Method and system for determining symmetry and Ackermann geometry status of the steering system of a vehicle |
WO2005008172A1 (en) * | 2003-07-18 | 2005-01-27 | Lasatron Ag | Method and device for measuring the steering geometry of vehicles |
BRPI0507380A (en) * | 2004-02-03 | 2007-07-10 | Drag Tag Pty Ltd | vehicle clamping mechanism for a dynamometer |
AU2005210514B2 (en) * | 2004-02-03 | 2009-01-08 | Drag Tag Pty Ltd | Vehicle steering sensing apparatus |
US7518714B2 (en) * | 2005-04-07 | 2009-04-14 | Hunter Engineering Company | Vehicle service system with variable-lens imaging sensors |
US7710555B2 (en) | 2006-06-27 | 2010-05-04 | Burke E. Porter Machinery Company | Apparatus and method for determining the orientation of an object such as vehicle wheel alignment |
NL1032584C1 (en) * | 2006-09-27 | 2008-03-28 | Paccus Interfaces B V | Angle rotation sensor. |
US7864309B2 (en) * | 2007-05-04 | 2011-01-04 | Burke E. Porter Machinery Company | Non contact wheel alignment sensor and method |
JP4229208B1 (en) * | 2007-10-31 | 2009-02-25 | トヨタ自動車株式会社 | Mounting angle measuring device and mounting angle measuring method |
US7974806B1 (en) | 2008-09-09 | 2011-07-05 | Hunter Engineering Company | Method for rolling compensation with wheel-mounted sensors |
WO2015031834A1 (en) * | 2013-08-29 | 2015-03-05 | International Marketing, Inc. | Vehicle alignment testing method and apparatus |
WO2018060963A1 (en) | 2016-09-30 | 2018-04-05 | Burke E. Porter Machinery Company | Wheel alignment measurement method and system for vehicle wheels |
US10634924B2 (en) * | 2017-12-19 | 2020-04-28 | Ford Global Technologies, Llc | Display projector operation |
US11835646B2 (en) | 2018-04-30 | 2023-12-05 | BPG Sales and Technology Investments, LLC | Target alignment for vehicle sensor calibration |
US11597091B2 (en) | 2018-04-30 | 2023-03-07 | BPG Sales and Technology Investments, LLC | Robotic target alignment for vehicle sensor calibration |
US11243074B2 (en) | 2018-04-30 | 2022-02-08 | BPG Sales and Technology Investments, LLC | Vehicle alignment and sensor calibration system |
US11781860B2 (en) | 2018-04-30 | 2023-10-10 | BPG Sales and Technology Investments, LLC | Mobile vehicular alignment for sensor calibration |
US11624608B2 (en) | 2018-04-30 | 2023-04-11 | BPG Sales and Technology Investments, LLC | Vehicular alignment for sensor calibration |
CN109655004A (en) * | 2019-01-31 | 2019-04-19 | 浙江工业大学 | A kind of vehicle wheelbase and wheelbase difference detection method based on photoelectric sensor |
FR3098591B3 (en) * | 2019-07-12 | 2021-07-30 | Space Srl | DIAGNOSIS SYSTEM FOR CARRYING OUT A DIAGNOSIS CONCERNING THE ALIGNMENT OF THE WHEELS OF A VEHICLE OR A VEHICLE WHEEL |
WO2021220169A1 (en) * | 2020-04-27 | 2021-11-04 | BPG Sales and Technology Investments, LLC | Non-contact vehicle orientation and alignment sensor and method |
Family Cites Families (12)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4192074A (en) * | 1977-12-22 | 1980-03-11 | Fmc Corporation | On the fly run-out correction for vehicle alignment |
US4154531A (en) * | 1978-04-17 | 1979-05-15 | Fmc Corporation | Time base swept-beam wheel aligning system |
FR2451020A1 (en) * | 1979-03-09 | 1980-10-03 | Muller Et Cie Ets | METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE PARALLELISM OF WHEELS OF FRONT AND REAR TRAINS OF MOTOR VEHICLES AND APPARATUS FOR CARRYING OUT SAID METHOD |
US4257703A (en) * | 1979-03-15 | 1981-03-24 | The Bendix Corporation | Collision avoidance using optical pattern growth rate |
US4319838A (en) * | 1979-10-01 | 1982-03-16 | Hunter Engineering Company | Vehicle wheel alignment apparatus |
US4302104A (en) * | 1979-10-02 | 1981-11-24 | Lee Hunter | Vehicle wheel alignment apparatus |
US4336658A (en) * | 1980-07-28 | 1982-06-29 | Hunter Engineering Company | Method of effecting compensation of cooperatively coupled vehicle wheel aligner instruments |
US4615615A (en) * | 1984-09-27 | 1986-10-07 | Flexible Manufacturing Systems, Inc. | Laser positioning system |
US5168632A (en) * | 1990-05-14 | 1992-12-08 | Rimlinger Jr Charles H | Automotive wheel alignment method and apparatus |
US5018853A (en) * | 1990-06-04 | 1991-05-28 | Bear Automotive Service Equipment Company | Angle sensor with CCD |
DE4039881C2 (en) * | 1990-12-13 | 1997-04-30 | Hofmann Werkstatt Technik | Method and device for optically measuring an angle which wheel positions on vehicles form relative to one another |
US5220399A (en) * | 1991-12-20 | 1993-06-15 | Christian Donald J | Wide angle wheel alignment system |
-
1994
- 1994-11-18 US US08/339,461 patent/US5519489A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1994-12-01 DE DE69433849T patent/DE69433849T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1994-12-01 AU AU14300/95A patent/AU1430095A/en not_active Abandoned
- 1994-12-01 EP EP95905843A patent/EP0731905B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1994-12-01 WO PCT/US1994/012824 patent/WO1995015479A1/en active IP Right Grant
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
WO1995015479B1 (en) | Vehicle alignment system | |
US5519489A (en) | Vehicle alignment system | |
US5489983A (en) | Sensor for vehicle alignment system and apparatus using same | |
US5978077A (en) | Non-contact method and apparatus for determining camber and caster of a vehicle wheel | |
EP0460470B1 (en) | Angle sensor with CCD | |
US6828903B2 (en) | Method and apparatus for detecting position of object present in a surrounding detection zone of automotive vehicle | |
US6377298B1 (en) | Method and device for geometric calibration of CCD cameras | |
JP4248264B2 (en) | Apparatus and system for measuring characteristic posture parameters of vehicle | |
JP3197529B2 (en) | Non-contact measurement method of wheel alignment characteristics and its measurement device | |
JPH059604Y2 (en) | ||
JP2004502154A (en) | Position determination system resistant to reflection | |
WO1998022860A3 (en) | Computer aided inspection machine | |
US5426500A (en) | Illuminance measurement of vehicle lamp | |
US20050206874A1 (en) | Apparatus and method for determining the range of remote point light sources | |
JPS56142404A (en) | System for measuring plate width | |
WO1998028595A1 (en) | Method and device for wheel alignment | |
JPH0815093A (en) | Device for inspecting headlight | |
JPH11118435A (en) | Wheel measuring device | |
JP2616090B2 (en) | Painted surface gloss measurement device | |
JP2630844B2 (en) | 3D shape and size measurement device | |
JP2786216B2 (en) | Picture area ratio measuring device | |
JPH0658210B2 (en) | Three-dimensional coordinate measurement method | |
JPS603502A (en) | Non-contacting type distance measuring method | |
JPH0735515A (en) | Device for measuring diameter of object | |
JPS6127734Y2 (en) |